13 nurses arrested during strike against three New York hospitals on 25th day
Striking nurses were arrested Thursday after blocking a midtown Manhattan building where hospital lobbyists are located, according to police and the New York State Nurses Association.
8 hrs ago
Thirteen striking New York nurses were arrested Thursday after linking arms and refusing to leave in front of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper, according to police and witnesses.
NYPD officers arrested the demonstrating medical workers without incident in front of 555 West 57th Street, where lobbyists for three New York hospital systems are located, according to footage released by the New York State Nurses Association.
The arrests occurred as the strike against the three hospital systems reached its 25th day. Rosa, a med-surg nurse, said the arrests reflected the seriousness of the nurses' demands. "It really spoke to the urgency – that we need better pay, better safety, better benefits, to the point that we're willing to get arrested for it. We're not professional protesters, we're professional nurses," she said.
According to the New York State Nurses Association, none of the arrested nurses had been arrested before. "This is uncharted territory. None of the women who got arrested have ever been arrested before, I guarantee you," a representative stated.
The strike centers on demands for improved compensation, workplace safety conditions, and benefits for nurses at the three hospital systems.